The Best Way To Shop For Chocolate Covered Strawberries
I’ve made chocolate covered strawberries on a number of occasions. Sometimes plain, other times adding a sprinkle of coconut, candy or crushed nut here and there. But if you don’t have the time, there are also a number of companies doing interesting things with the berries. I wanted to write some comments about what I saw in comparing some of the different vendors to help others make a wise decision.
To get the health benefits from the real chocolate, it needs to be of good quality. Some companies add a number of preservatives, additives, and bad fats to make their ingredient price cheaper and profit higher. So be sure to review the ingredient list from a company or store that you are checking out. Don’t be hesitant to ask them if they use a lot of fillers besides the chocolate. You or someone you know is going to be eating it, so take the responsibility and ask.
The finer the chocolate, the better the entire taste of the whole berry will be. It only makes sense. Your recipe, no matter how exquisite your technique and skill, can only be as good as the quality of the original ingredients you put in. So be an informed consumer and demand a good quality product.
Some companies dip the strawberries about halfway up with chocolate. Others take the chocolate more near the top and cover everything but the stem. That means more chocolate for you to eat. Some companies may skimp on the chocolate to save some money. Thousands of berries with a half-inch less coating makes a big difference to the bottom line. But you as the consumer get less chocolate berry.
Some companies will have different delivery policies than others. If you’re shipping in a warm season or to a warmer climate, be sure to check out how many cool gel packs are used. Review if they use insulated containers or dry ice to ensure no melting will occur. And see if there’s any guarantee on arrival time and that the product makes it to the destination intact.
Check the satisfaction of other customers. See if anyone in your area has used their services or can recommend based on their experiences. You may need to give a couple a try for a special occasion. Price is one factor but certainly not the only one. From that point on, you’ll know if you can go with that company for many times to come or if you’d like to try your hand at discovering the talents you can bring in your own kitchen.
